Adjustable beam saddle



Jan 5, 1943- l.. G. DA\/ENPORT 2,307,492

ADJUSTABLE BEAM SADDLE Filed oct. so, 1939 2 sheets-sheet i 3 wu mio/0 15 Y I wfzafdawgvar www . Jan. 5, 1943. LAG. DAVENPORT ADJUSTABLE BEAM SADDLE i Filed Oct. 250.v 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l5 Z6 f @M1-#- gf- Zl? -d H H-lnl ffy l y Patented Jan. 5, 1943 NT FEFIC 2,307,492 ADJUSTABLE BEAM SADDLE Leonard G. Davenport, Kilgore, Tex., assignor to Corporation, Columbus,

International-Stacey Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 30, 1939, Sver'ialNo. 301,921

4 Claims.

This invention relates to well operating mechanism and is particularly directed to improved means for mounting the walking beam of a well pumping apparatus.

The primary object of length of the pumping stroke without disturbing the relation of the beam with regard to the Well bore and the crank shaft of the driving mechanism.

It is. also an object of the invention to provide the longitudinal axis moving the saddle means in guides.

Another object of the invention rests in the the adjusting operation to permit free oscillation of the beam.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of well pumping apparatus having the improved adjustable bearing means for eiecting the support of an oscillatory walking beam;

Fig. 2 is yan enlarged side elevational figure disclosing the said adjustable bearing means and associated portions of the Samson frame and walking beam;

Fig. 3 is' a horizontal sectional view, the plane of the iigure being indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane disclosed by the line l'V-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail plan View of the brace employed for connecting the Samson frame with the of the walking beam, andthe Samson post being provided with means for pitman end of the walking beam during adjust-r ment of the beam bearings;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, there has been disclosed a conventional oil well pumping unit comprising a Samson frame I, `an oscillatory walking beam 2, which is pivotally mounted on the top of the Samson frame, a power driven rotatable crank 3, and a pitman 4 uniting the outer portion of the crank with the pitman end of the beam 2. The opposite or well end of the beam 2 may be provided with a head 5, employed for receiving the customary cables, not shown, for the support of the strings of suspended pump operating rods.

The present invention is more particularly concerned with the pivotalmounting employed for effecting the oscillatory support of the walking beam on the top of the frame I. This mounting comprises a pair of transversely spaced main bearings 6. Each of these bearings is formed to include longitudinally projecting anges `I,

with guide bars 9. These bars, as disclosed in Figs. 4 and 6, are formed with reduced guide ribs I0, which ribs are received in longitudinally exupper surfaces of the channel members I2.

To obtain such longitudinal adjustment and movement of the bearings 6, each of the latter is provided with a longitudinally extending screw I3, which passes loosely through an' opening provided in a U-bracket I4 attached to and extend- The screws I3 are equipped with lock nuts I6,

which engage with opposite surfaces of the brackets I4, and serve to positively maintain the bearings 6 intheir various longitudinal positions of adjustment along the tops of the channel mem-- bers I2.

Thebearingsl lil-are united by avtransversely ex-Y not necessary to employ, as

2 tending pin I1 which also passes through a suitable horizontal bore provided in a beam saddle I8. The upper portion of this saddle is recessed as at I9 to receive the lower flange 20 of the beam 2, the latter, preferably, being substantally I-shaped in transverse cross-section. Guide strips 2I overlap the outer edges of the flange 20 and are secured to the top of the saddle I8 by means of removable screw bolts 22. One end of the saddle is provided with a lug 23 to which is suitably fastened one end of a longitudinally extending beam adjusting screw 24. This screw is located in parallel relation with and immediately below the flange 20 of the beam. The threaded shank of the screw 24 passes loosely through an opening provided in an ear 25 which is stationarily carried by and depends from the flange 20. Lock nuts 2B have threaded engagement with the screw 22 and are adapted to engage with opposite-faces of the ear 25 in order to maintain the beam 2 in various longitudinal positions of adjustment with respect to the saddle I8. n

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that an adjustable saddle is provided particularly adapted for changing the length of the pumping stroke of a walking beam. The mechanism provided permits this adjustment to be attained without varying the longitudinal position of the walking beam with regardto the Samson post and the registration of the head of the walking beam with the vertical axis of an associated well bore. Therefore, it is not necessary to readjust the beam head over the well after it has been properly set. Since the walking beam is maintained in a fixed position, the angularity of maintained at the most desirable operating conditions. Thus, in prior devices, the beam pitman bearing is shifted along the walking beam to effect a change in the pumping stroke. This often produces an undesirable pitman angularity, which the'present invention avoids. Also, my improved adjusting saddle permits the shifting of the beam backward or forward over the well to align the beam hangar with a polish rod. Since the adjustable saddle permits the adjusting of the pumping stroke by changing the effective lengths of the moment arms of the walking beam, it is heretofore, a series of wrist pin holes in the crank 3.

Thus, in the present invention, the wrist pin, indicated at 21, may be pressed into the crank hole, since it is unnecessary to remove this pin. A pressed-pin does not work loose when in service. On the other hand, a pin which is drawn into a straight or tapered hole by means of a wrist pin nut is always in danger of working loose. A loose wrist pin tends to wallow relative to the crank and in some cases will cause a serious wreck. The adjustable mounting forming the present invention eliminates the previous practice of using a plurality of longitudinally aligned openings in the operating crank for the reception of removable wrist pins which, when selectively positioned in the pitman 4 can also be such openings, permit of variation in the pumping stroke of the beam. With the present invention, however, a pressed-in wrist pin may be employed, which is not readily removable from its operating position on the crank and therefore the dangers of loose wrist pins are minimized or eliminated.

By adjusting the moment arms of the walking beam, the capacity of the beam is increased or decreased in exact proportion of increase or vdecrease in the loads imposed upon the beam. For example, when the well end arm is lengthened, thus lengthening the stroke, it is necessary to add more counter-balance on the pitman end of the beam. Since the pitman end of the beam is shortened, it has more strength to support this additional counter-balancing load.

By changing both beam moment arms at the same time, the compound adjustment requires only half the amount of movement as would be required in a conventional lead screw adjustment, as disclosed in certain prior art patents. I By employing a pivoted strut 28, as shown in Fig. 1, between the Samson post or frame I and the pitman end of the beam, in order to hold the beam in a fixed position, it is readily possible to adjust the position of the saddle I8 with respect to the beam and Samson post by one of the adjusting screws. The lock nuts on the other adjusting screw are simply loosened to permit the screw to pass freely through the stationary lugs or ears with which they are associated. After the saddle has been adjusted, it will be observed that means are provided to clamp the same to the walking beam and bolt it to the top of the Samson frame. The strut 28 is preferably adjustable in length in order that it may be adapted to the effective lengthl of the pitman end of the beam.

What is claimed is:

1. In well operating mechanism of the type having a walking beam, a Samson frame for supporting the beam, a tool supporting head at the outer end of said beam and power means for imparting movement to said beam, saddle means for securing said beam to said frame comprising main bearing means supported by said frame, supplemental bearing means carried by said beam, pivot means disposed in said bearing means to position said beam on said frame, coupling means for temporarily securing said beam directly to said frame to maintain their relative positions, and adjusting means for moving said bearing and pivot means relative to said beam and frame to il/lary the length of travel of said tool supporting 2. In well pumping apparatus, a base frame, a Samson post arising from said frame, a power .Y unit supported on said base, a crank shaft rotatably supported in said power unit, a crank arm carried by said crank shaft, a wrist pin permanently secured to the outer end of said crank arm, a walking beam, a pitman bearing carried by one end of said beam, a tool supporting head secured to the opposite end of said beam, saddle means having a pivot for mounting said beam on the upper end of said frame for rocking movement, a pitman connecting'said wrist pin and the bearing at the end of said beam, adjusting means for moving said saddle means to vary the distance between the pivot and the tool supporting head, and removable means for connecting said beam directly to said Samson post to maintain the position of said pitman bearing with relation to said crank shaft during the movement of said saddle means.

3. In well pumping apparatus, a Samson frame, a walking beam, means for pivotally supporting said beam on said Samson frame, means for moving said pivot means with respect to both said beam and frame, the movement being longitudinally with respect to said beam, and strut means pivotally secured at one end to said Samson frame, the opposite end of said strut means being formed for detachable connection with said beam to maintain the position thereof with respect to said Samson frame during the movement of said pivot means.

4. In well pumping apparatus of the type provided with a Samson frame and a walking beam, means for pivotally supporting said beam on said frame comprising guide means on said frame, a pair of bearing blocks positioned for movement in said guides, a third bearing block connected with said beam for movement longitudinally thereof, said bearing blocks having registering openings, pivot means projecting through the registering openings in said bearing blocks, screw means stationarily connected with the bearing block carried by said beam, perforated lug means on said beam for the reception of said screw means, nut means adjustably positioned on said screw means, and means for temporarily establishing a direct connection between said beam and frame during movement of said bearing blocks relative to said frame and beam.

LEONARD G. DAVENPORT. 

